A paraphrasticall explication of the twelve minor prophets. Viz. Hoseah. Joel. Amos. Obadiah. Jonah. Micah. Nahum. Habakkuk. Zephaniah. Haggai. Zechariah. Malachi. / By Da. Stokes. D.D.

CHAP. II.

1. THus saith the Lord. Because Moab hath fil'd up the same measure of sin(x) with the Ammonites, therefore I pronounce the same punishment to them of Moab: who to their other sins added that, which showed their ar∣rogance, and malice to Edom, in burning the bones of (y) one of the Kings of Edom, and so most inhumanely and barbarously, (z) min∣gling the ashes with the lime, and mortar that they used in dawbing and plaistering of their walls, which was an act of much pride, and scorne, and contempt; and a contumelious way of revenge.

2. Therefore I will raise up an insolent, and cruell enemy against the country of Moab, that shall kindle such a war, as shall be the sudden, fearfull and totall ruine of (a) Kerioth, their chiefest City (for such is commonly a destru∣ction by fire) And in the hurry, and tumult of that war, shall many of the Moabites die, a∣midst

the confused noise of the trumpets,(b)and shouts of the enemy, and their own sighes, and groanes, and heavy lamentations.

3. So will be cut off from Moab, and espe∣cially from Kerioth, (or, the chief Cities in the heart of the Countrey,) their eminentest (c) Governours, and Commanders: and all their Princes, and the greatest of their Nobility shall have their share in this punishment, that shall sweep them all away, saith the Lord, that neither can, nor will be hindred, or intreated in the execution of this sentence upon Moab.

4. And while these acts of Divine Justice appear among the Heathen, least Judah (be∣cause of the open profession of the true Re∣ligion, and worship of God among them) should take themselves to be in a fair way of escaping the like severe revenge, that God might take upon their sins, thus saith the Lord concerning his own people, Because Iu∣dah presumed to (d) make up such a high mea∣sure of sinne, as cried to heaven for Justice, therefore they also shall have their doom run in the same termes. Specially because they for∣sook the most holy lawes, and statutes of God,

(as if they contemned that to which they had promised obedience) aud were chiefly led by their own phansies, and lying vanities, and strange inclination to idolatry: as the ill ex∣ample of their Forefathers, and their many re∣volts, toald them on, and deluded their foolish hearts.

5. Therefore Nabuchadnezar's puissant, and victorious army shall raise an unquenchable fire in Iudaea, that shall not end without the firing of the Temple, and the Palaces, and other costly pieces of building in their Mother-City of Ierusalem by Nabuzaradan.

6. Which severity threatned to be exerci∣sed upon the two Tribes, (among whom was the Temple, and the purer worship of God, may terrifie the kingdom of Israel, and be a clear evidence of their speedier, and heavier ruine. Of whom thus saith the Lord. For the full (e) measure of iniquity made up by the Israelites, and running over, I will make good the sad irreversible Sentence passed against them, and foretold by severall Prophets. The rather, because of their extream, and cruell Avarice, which blinded their eyes, and indu∣ced them, not onely to circumvent and de∣fraud, but down-right, to sell men better than

themselves, and righteous persons at poor rates, as if the least summe of money, or a pair of shooes were more highly to be prised, than the keeping of a poor man from perpetuall servi∣tude.

7. Nor will I conceale some other of their faults. In respect of their malice, (f) they are as stomachfull against the poor, as if they could eat them up like bread. And their pride is such, that they think it not enough, to throw them as low as the dust of the earth, unlesse they take of that dust, and cast it upon their heads, as a signe of greater scorn, and con∣tempt: where they cannot so insult over the poor, yet, at least, (that they may be doing of some mischief) if they meet with modest, humble, and quiet men, they disturb them in the way, that is, in the course of their life, and occasions of their severall employments. From hence, laying the raines loose to all li∣berty, they take the impudence to proceed further to sins of another nature, to a degree of incestuous pollution, hardly named among the Gentiles, that the Father, and the Sonne should wickedly abuse the same woman. By

which horrid crimes, they do what they can to pollute my holy name: and provoke the Gentiles to the blaspheming of me, as well as speaking the truth of them, that thus disho∣nour their God; whose honour, and glory should be the main end, and aim of all their endeavours.

8. Beside all this, having taken some pledges of those, that run not after the same(g) madness of Idolatry with them, they made use of them for sacred vestures or carpets, in or upon them to prostrate themselves before their Idol-altars (whereas to make any use of pledges is a∣gainst their law) And (still adding sinne unto sinne) they delighted their palates with that wine, which they bought with what was gained by the sale of their goods, whom themselves had unjustly condemned. Thus were they not asha∣med to chear up themselves in the house of their false Gods; and in their service, as it were to drink up the blood of innocent men, that would not be drawn to the like excesse of Idolatry with them.

9. In this excesse, and overslowing of sinne, how much have these men forgot themselves, and the favours, and mercies, that I heaped upon them? How (in the way to a land of

rest, and plenty) out of my love, and care of them, I drove away the Amorite before them, a stout and strong people, giants of so vast a bignesse, and stature, that whosoever was to fight against them, would think that his sword was to hack at Cedars, and Oakes, rather than to cut down men: Yet these Cedars, and Oakes did I pluck up by the roots, and cut off in the branches, and laid them prostrate (before the children of Israel) as low as the ground they trod upon. i.e. I utterly ruined, and destroy∣ed the Amorite, so that he was no longer a People: as I did many other nations, that were vanquished, and expelled out of their antient seates, to make room for them: root, and branch: Fathers, and children: Princes, and subiects: all were driven out, to give them way.

10. This I did for them, whom I had first obliged by a miraculous delivery from their Egyptian bondage, and a safe conduct tho∣rough the red Sea, and a vast, and barren wildernesse, where they were fourty yeares together plentifully supplied with all things necessary, till they came to possesse those fat, and fertile grounds of all the (h)seven na∣tions of the Amorites.

11. And that I might crown these tem∣porall benefits with spirituall gifts, and gra∣ces, I raised up some of your children to be Prophets, that they might instruct you, and be your guides into a place of everlasting rest, in the heavenly Canaan. And (as a∣nother meanes to that) I made others of the Nazarites that they might be as living pat∣terns, and examples of a temperate, and holy life. Tell me, if any of these things can be denied, or if all these favours were not freely thus disposed of, for your good, saith the Lord?

12. And yet (as it were to crosse my or∣dinances, which tended so much to your own advantage) you would often interrupt the strict order of the Nazarites, by perswa∣ding them to drink wine, though it were flatly interdicted. And you longed so much to hear your Prophets tell you rather of that which was pleasing, than of that which was true, that you spared not to lay it as an Injun∣ction upon them.

13. But for this liberty of sinne, that you have taken to your selves, (i) I will bring

you into great streights, and pressures of mi∣sery, and calamity: so that as a cart, streit∣ned in it self, and as it were oppressed with too great a burden, doth seem to groane, and make a noise of complaint under the (k) weight of many sheaves: so the enemies that set upon you, and the afflictions that distresse, and humble your soules, shall force out of you many groanes, and lamen∣tations (heavy, and loud expressions of your sorrow.)

14. In this pressure, and streightnesse; It will be to little purpose to think of saving your selves from your enemies by flight, or of finding wayes of evasion from your other miseries. It will be as vain to think of re∣sisting, and overcoming them, by strength of body, or stoutnesse of heart. For, the means of flight shall be taken from them, and the stoutest shall feel his stout heart, to faint, and sink within him. And the strongest of your champions shall be so far from rescuing others, that he shall not be able to preserve his own life.

15. Nor shall the most cunning Archers be

able to stand to it so long, as to make suf∣ficient use of his bow. Or the swiftest of foot, to runne so fast, as to carry himself farre enough out of danger. Or, the most confident Horse-man to ride so fast, but that a speedy, and deadly blow shall overtake him and make an end of his life.

16. And if any be accounted of so Heroi∣call a spirit, that he may presume of better fortune than other mighty men: even he shall be forced to yeild at last: or, if he can make an escape, to betake himself to his heeles, like a naked Souldier, stripped of all his harness, and leaving all his weapons behind him. For, the Lord hath spoken it.

Notes

• (x)

  Expon. ut cap. 1. 3, 13.
• (y)

  quis hic fuerit, nec ex Sacra Scriptura, nec alibi, ut opinor, inveniri potest, Illud certè, 4. Reg. 3. ult. huc tor queri non potest, videtur enim intelligi, non de harede Regis Edom•• sed Moab.
• (z)

  sic chaldaus, sed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 potest exponi per 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro calce, instead of lime.
• (a)

  or, the houses of their chief Cities.
• (b)

  sic. c. 1, 14.
• (c)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hebraeis, qui aliis Rex, Dux, Princeps
• (d)

  sic expone ex c. 1. 3.
• (e)

  sic exponitur c 1 3.
• (f)

  Locus hic difficilis sic mihi reddi posse videtur, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. Absorbent, vel deglutiunt pauperes, super pulverem terrae (collocant¦eos) quem pulverem etiam ponunt super captra pauperum (pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & modestorum viam, atque institutum pervertunt.
• (g)

  sic Hebraei & Hicron.
• (h)

  So the name here is taken.
• (i)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 arctans ego, i. angustiam vobis afferam, nam hoc verbum priore loco transitivum est, posteriore neutrum, ut docet Kimchi. Sunt tamen qui sic exponunt. Ego strideo subter vos, sicut stridet plaustrum anustum manipulis; i. vestris sceleribus oneratus, diutiùs vos ferre nequeo.
• (k)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in loco vestro, i. pressurus sum locum vestrum hostibus.